Marvelous Mud Pottery Studio serves as pottery school for adults

Lakeland pottery studio serves as a pottery school for adults

Around 60 adult students learn new lessons in pottery each week at Marvelous Mud Pottery Studio in Lakeland. FOX 13 photojournalist Barry Wong takes us there.

LAKELAND, Fla. - Around 60 adult students learn new lessons in pottery each week at Marvelous Mud Pottery Studio in Lakeland. 

"It's about taking adults through this journey of not only learning the skills and techniques they need in pottery, but giving them a safe space to be creative, to have self-expression," Marvelous Mud Pottery Studio Owner Rachelle Eason said. 

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Dig deeper:

No experience is needed to join the studio, but every potential new member, no matter the experience level, must take a four-week prerequisite class. It introduces the baseline skills and introduces them to their potential future classmates. 

During a member's class, each week tends to follow a lesson plan. Week three features "prompts." For example, something like "mini-garden towers." 

"They respond to it in whichever way they desire, and that really gives an opportunity for them to pull out skills and techniques that they have learned already but put them in more of their own style," Eason said. 

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What they're saying:

"The main thing is, especially taking that beginning class, you learn specific skills, and then you build on those skills, and you start to combine those skills, and you're able to be more and more creative," said student Pat Williams.

Williams has been taking classes for around a year and a half. She loves meeting new people and using her hands.

"Retired schoolteacher and was looking for some creative things to do. Always wanted to learn to throw on the wheel, 'Ghost,'" Williams said with a laugh. 

For Eason, who comes from the world of teaching beforehand, watching the students grow is the most fulfilling part.

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"We are seeing not only so much development in their skill and their technique, but confidence," Eason said. "It builds their confidence. It allows them to be, really kind of hone in on their own style."

What's next:

The studio recently completed an expansion, which includes eight new spots for resident artists. The larger space accommodates more classes and potentially 20 more monthly members. 

For more information, visit marvelousmudpotterystudio.com.